Sharks notes: Tuesday’s question and answer with Pete DeBoer

Here’s a good chunk of Tuesday’s question and answer period with Sharks coach Pete DeBoer (I missed one question as my recorder malfunctioned):

In regards to the home/road record, are there a lot of things you can try to remedy that, or is it limited?

“I think probably the latter a little bit. You’re always searching for some things. You also don’t just want to do something just to do something. I think we want to make sure that any decisions we make or any changes in routine are done with a purpose. They’re not going to adversely affect you. It also isn’t a panic situation either. We’re really close to being good at home and we’ve made some changes that we think make sense. Now it‘s about getting out and executing.”

This is a veteran team and a lot of veterans with families. It is possible there are more distractions at home that impact the preparation?

“I don’t think so. I think every team in the league deals with distractions at home. My wife would kill be for calling her a distraction (laughs). I think you called her a distraction. Let’s get that straight. I think everybody deals with that. This team, it wasn’t that long ago that this was a very good home team. It’s something that’s kind of crept in in the last 12-15 months maybe.

“Like a lot of things, this game, a big part of it is mental and you get a little bit of a mental block about something. You have to get past that. Sometimes it takes a few bounces, sometimes it takes a great effort from a goalie or somebody individually, and then you’re past it, and you’re moving forward. I think we were at that point with some of our special teams earlier in the year and we got past that. So that’s just another hurdle. I don’t think there’s anything more to it than that.”

In your individual meetings, did you get the response that you wanted from these guys?

“Yeah, this is a real good group. They’re invested in what they’re doing here. They care. It’s time to start executing and putting points on the board. But I think from a frame of mind, I think everyone’s clear on their role, the expectations and where we they think they’re at and where we think we need them to get to.”

On even strength play (missed a bit of this):

“Chances for to chances against, I think we’re in a good place. I think some of the depth guys’ five on five play is really starting to improve. I met individually with Nieto and Wingels, I think in the last 15-17 games they’ve really started to come. I think Tomas Hertl had started to come in some spurts. So I definitely see some improvement.

“We’re not sticking the puck in the back of the net, which skews some of the way we’ve been playing. I like our defensive game. We’re one of the top teams in the league in shots against a night and high danger scoring chances a night, so I think we’re in a good place that way. I think our five on five goaltending has to be better, along with some other things. So, there are always areas of improvement, but I think we’re close to being where we want it to be.

“Again, individually, there are some guys that are starting to understand what we’re looking for and the expectation, and are getting better. They’re not where we need them to be yet, but they’re getting better.”

Is that hard to get them to do that, (to understand) that it’s a commitment every shift. Did you expect that it would take some guys a little longer to adjust to be that consistent.

“Yeah, let’s be honest. It’s been a problem here recently. Getting depth, getting four lines of contributions from people, that’s not something that’s been part of this team’s game for a while here. Of course it’s different. I think bringing Zubrus in has helped, having Donskoi come out and make the team has helped. Getting some guys slotted, getting Couture back has helped slot some people a little bit lower.

“Talked to our guys and we go in against Winnipeg the other night and we’ve got Hertl and Wingels and Nieto and those type of guys on your third line, and you’re looking at the matchups on the board and that should be an advantage for us. It wasn’t on that night, and we have to turn those games into one, how come that isn’t advantage for us? It should be, and we have to fix that going forward.

Is this a big week for Martin Jones? He still is a young guy getting acclimated and as you said, maybe the five-on-five goaltending has been maybe a struggle.

“I think everything goes hand in hand. It’s a big week for everybody, no more for Jonesy than anybody else. Listen, the one thing I got out of meetings is our guys are very confident in the goalies we have here. If anything, they feel they’re letting them down from an offensive support position, and that’s been true. We haven’t scored the first goal at home and we haven’t allowed them to play with the lead, which puts them in tough spots. There’s a challenge for (Jones) to be better, but it’s also a challenge for our group to help those guys, too.

All-Star selections come out tomorrow. How much would it mean to the team to have Pavelski and Burns there?

“It’s great, it’s well deserved if they both are. I think both deserve to be there. It’s a great feather. I think both of those guys will tell you they’d trade that any day for an opportunity to compete in the Stanley Cup playoffs, which is our goal. I think any time you recognize individual accomplishments, and those guys both have had excellent first halves for us.

Do you think more people are going to watch this game because of the 3 on 3, and also the John Scott factor?

“I don’t know about the John Scott factor. I think the 3 on 3 is definitely entertaining, there’s no doubt. I’ve loved what it’s brought and I’m interesting to see where it goes once the coaches get their hands on it. Long-term, if they can stymie it and get it to the point where it’s not as entertaining as it is this year, but it’s new and it’s fresh. The coaches around the league, we haven’t got our hands into it far enough yet and it’s entertaining game.

What’s the plan for Tennyson going forward?

“It was a conditioning assignment. When I spoke to him, one, I’ve been very happy with the way the guys have handled going down. From Tennyson to Stalock to Tierney, they’ve gone down, they’ve played hard, and that’s what they have to do. The report on Tenny was that he was great down there. Now he’s back with us. When you talk to him, he’s glad he did it. I think he got a little confidence back, got some game action. We’ve only got seven D here, so he’s going to play sooner than later I’m sure.

With back to backs coming up here, that’s probably on the horizon?

“Again, we’re going night to night here on the lineup. But you know there’s going to be an opportunity to play here.